This invention relates to a method for creating a heat sink and, more particularly, to a method for creating a heat sink from 100% compressed fin material to eliminate the need for a heat sink base plate.
A heat sink is a widely used absorptive thermal protection system. Heat sinks have the advantages of simplicity, dependability, and for reusable vehicles, ease of refurbishment. However, heat sinks currently require a base plate between a length of corrugated fin and any element or component to be temperature controlled. The need for the base plate increases both the cost and the weight of the heat sink. In any manufacturing process including the manufacture of heat sinks, it is desirable to reduce manufacturing costs. This may be accomplished in a variety of ways including the elimination of a component or element of a component used in the process while retaining the function of that component or element. For example, eliminating the heat sink base plate while still providing a continuous flat surface on which to mount electrical components could greatly reduce the cost of constructing the heat sink as well as reduce the overall weight of the finished product.